Page 99 - Constructing Craft

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population ... are involved in craft in some way’. Wilson believed that New Zealand
was fortunate to have a tradition of craft – through the craft of Māori – as well as an
innovative attitude inspired by Western ideas about design. However, his main

concern was that craftspeople in New Zealand were not recognised on a social and
cultural level that they deserved.

“For example, doctors, lawyers and engineers figure that their
time is worth $30 to $100 an hour ... I’ve lived and worked in
those circles and I know that the craftsperson’s effort is no less.
But there are sociological reasons why those people have
achieved that status by getting into groups and duping us into
believing that there’s a particular quality about their work in the
community which deserves reward. Craftspeople’s role is more
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important”

Pierre Bourdieu recognised Wilson’s attempts to boost the status of craftspeople as

a juggling of cultural and economic capital in an effort to increase symbolic capital.

Wilson soon came to realise that key factor in elevating the place of craftspeople in
New Zealand society was education. He became the President of the Crafts Council

of New Zealand (CCNZ) in 1981 and dedicated much of his time advocating higher
educational qualifications for craftspeople.

Carin Wilson. Photo: Craft New Zealand.

Constructing Craft